Jennifer Lopez is switching tongues…
The 47-year-old Puerto Rican singer/actress is hard at work on a new, all-Spanish album, alongside ex-husband Marc Anthony, who will act as executive producer, according to Billboard.
The album is scheduled for release in 2017, with the first single from the new production set to drop in November.
It will be Lopez’s first all-Spanish album in a decade. Back in 2007, she released her Spanish-language debut, Como Ama una Mujer, which debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 chart and, at the time, was only the fifth Spanish-language album to debut in the top 10 of the all-genre chart.
Como Ama una Mujer was co-produced by Anthony, who now comes in as an executive producer on Lopez’s new album via an alliance with his entertainment company, Magnus Media, and Sony Music Latin, which will release the effort.
Magnus also will provide consulting services to Lopez for the Hispanic market in marketing, content development and touring.
“I am so excited and really looking forward to this new musical journey and to celebrate my Latin roots with Marc Anthony and the Sony/Magnus family,” Lopez said Thursday in a statement.
Lopez hasn’t really stopped celebrating her Latin roots. In the past few years, she’s had several high-profile collaborations with Latin acts, including Pitbull (“On the Floor”), Wisin y Yandel (“Follow the Leader”), Wisin and Ricky Martin (“Adrenalina”), Prince Royce and Pitbull (“Back It Up”) and, of course, Anthony.
Most recently, Lopez recorded “Love Make the World Go Round” with Lin-Manuel Miranda.
“[Jennifer] has had enormous accomplishments in her career and has been representing our culture all over the world from day one,” Anthony said in a statement. “Her artistry, professionalism and passion for music are just some of the many attributes that have earned her a unique place in the entertainment world that very few people have been able to obtain. I am looking forward to our creative collaboration and to be part of continuing her musical legacy.”
Expectations are high surrounding Lopez’s new Spanish set. At the time of its release in 2007, Como Ama una Mujer set the record for the largest sales week for an act’s debut Spanish-language album. That mark would later be topped by Romeo Santos, but Lopez still maintains the record among female artists.
“Jennifer is one of the most iconic Latina superstars of all time and a longtime member of the Sony family,” added Afo Verde, chairman and CEO, Latin America, Spain and Portugal, Sony Music Entertainment. “We’re very excited to partner with her and Marc on a project that is all about spotlighting her spirit and soul.”
Aside from her recording career, Lopez is currently working on season 2 of her hit NBC series Shades of Blue. In December she will complete the first year of her All I Have residency in Las Vegas at the AXIS Theater in Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.
